(Newser)
–
Three senators—a Democrat, an Independent and a Republican—have proposed a radical reinvention of the now-hopelessly-congested presidential primary system. To avoid states racing to the top of the calendar, it would establish four regions, each assigned its own voting day. Drafted by Amy Klobuchar, Joe Lieberman, and Lamar Alexander, the legislation would be in effect for the 2012 elections, the Hill reports.

The East, South, Midwest and West would be assigned, by lottery, primary days in consecutive months, beginning in March. By next March, 33 states will have held their 2008 primaries; by the same time in 2000, only 11 states had done so. The plan's chances are unclear: Many states currently control their own primary dates and foot the cost of their primaries.